The return
by loonyloonylupin
Summary: Before Florian went to the Heavens he told Karal that he would be back and not to tell the Herals. This story takes place 15 years after the storm series and about the return of a soul Karal has missed for 15 long years..R&R please


Karal watched as the final batch of children left the room for the day after his final class about Karse and its history. Karal had found that for the most part he enjoyed his job teaching the newly chosen about the history and lifestyles of Karse.  
  
::You like teaching after the youngsters have gotten over any hate they might bare Karse.::  
  
Karal smiled and reached a hand to give the giant cat a scratch behind the ears. For anyone who did not know the story about Karal and the firecat, Alta, might find it weird to see an overgrown Siamese looking cat constantly at the side of the Karsite priest. For both human and cat this was everyday life. Since the mage wars when Karal had lost his sight, as well as his friend Florian, Alta has been a constant companion as well as his eyes for him.  
  
"That's true Alta. But as soon as that is over with for the most part we seem to get a very interested audience."  
  
Most students found learning about the country that had been their enemy for so long interesting. Plus, since no child chosen would ever be completely closed minded he was happy to prove that enemies could always turn out to truly be friends.  
  
::If only the blues were as nice as the heralds are we would both have no problems.::  
  
"Well there are always a few problems. If it was up to me I would only take certain blues but unfortunately that is out of our hands."  
  
Alta agreeing with that statement rose from the desk that was his normal perch during class and jumped to the ground. Sharing a mind with a cat was something that had taken getting use to for Karal but since the 5 years that had passed since the storms Karal knew how to manipulate the differences between what he was seeing through Alta and what was in front of him. Since Alta came to his upper thigh he saw at that level and not at the level of his head where his blind eyes were. It was a companionship that worked and a bond that was shared forever between the pair. The only times that Alta was not with him was at nights when he shared private times with his now wife Natoli who was an engineer and worked with the blues. Karal did not envy her job.  
  
::Neither do I. We only put up with them at certain times of the day but Natoli deals with them constantly. Brave soul your wife, she goes from bad to worse when she comes to see you..::  
  
Karal let out a laugh shaking his head "Hey! You spend more time with me then she does so I wouldn't talk cat. Here I was just about to offer to find you a nice fat fish and you start mocking me."  
  
Alta just nudged his leg purring and Karal smiled "That's what I thought"  
  
After digging through the kitchen and finding the perfect fish for a now sated Alta, the pair headed towards the somewhat quiet grounds. He had planned to meet with his son Florian and his companion Branson. Who would have guessed that his son, named after the companion that had befriended him so long ago, would ever be chosen like his grandfather? Certainly not the Karsite priest Karal. Of course both him and Natoli had been thrilled, who could not be so proud of the son who had completely stood up to his namesake.  
  
"Hello Florian, Branson hopefully we two old men are not too late."  
  
::Speak for yourself! I am certainly not showing my age, you on the other hand maybe.:: Unlike companions Alta was able to speak to anyone he pleased, and took that advantage almost all the time.  
  
"Sometimes cat I wonder why I put up with you."  
  
Both his son and Bran, as he liked to be called, were laughing at the pair of them. Alta began parading around as if he owned the place, typical cat behavior of course; waving his tail around like it belonged on a hat. Karal rolled his blind eyes. As Alta moved over to Florian Karal's son leaned down to pet the firecat he had grown up with and kneeled in front of him shaking his head.  
  
"On of these days father is going to truly get fed up with you and then where will you be?"  
  
::Why I will stay with you. You got your mother's sense boy, you even got the horse to prove it- Yes yes Bran your not a horse I know.::  
  
Both humans let out the same laugh as Karal could not help it. Alta was as sarcastic a creature as you could get. Karal wouldn't trade him in for the world. Once Karal got himself under control from the laugh he turned to the companion.  
  
"Forgive the firecat he can get to be quiet the annoyance."  
  
Alta hissed playfully while Karal moved to give Bran a gentle scratch behind the ears. "So Florian tell me how has classes been for you? They have started yes?"  
  
"No not yet. We are still waiting for the final companion who went out to search before we can start. Bran says that from what he has heard, Joyas is on her way with the final person in our year group. Her chosen is a boy which is a relief since we already have 2 other new girls...."  
  
For the next hour or so father and son walked the grounds enjoying the day while Florian told Karal about the newest things going on in the collegium. Both companion and firecat walked next to their respective partners. "Again only from what rumors has told me we shall be starting orientation within the week. I can't wait to start, at least I wont have to take classes with the blues. High born brats its bad enough from what I hear you and mother deal with in classes, I had no desire to go to school with them fulltime if Bran had not chosen me."  
  
"Trust me we would not have forced you to go. I deal with them plenty there was no way I was putting you through that."  
  
Florian looked up to Bran and laughed nodding as he gave the companion a pat on the nose. What transpired between the pair Karal would never hear. He had mind speech but companions rarely spoke to other who was not their chosen and Karal had enough mind speech in the past and present to fill his mind forever.  
  
"I will talk to you later Bran!" The companion nodded his head gave first chosen and then surprised the father and nuzzled him gently. Karal touched the soft nose, transported to the past for a moment, and then let the companion go into the field.  
  
"He says that he had to meet someone and would find me later."  
  
"Of course Florian, companions are very busy." Karal smiled and put an arm around his son as they headed back to their rooms. Florian was no longer living with his parents but had his own rooms in heraldic hall with his friends but he was extremely close to his old quarters and was more then welcome if he wanted.  
  
"Are you meeting mother for dinner?"  
  
"Yes we are eating in our normal spot but you do not have to sit with us. You are more then welcome to eat with the other heraldic trainees."  
  
"Thanks dad! I do have to go I said I would meet some friends after I met with you."  
  
"Well what are you waiting for go! Don't let an old man like me stop you."  
  
Florian smiled "Talk to you later dad!" and then he was off towards Vkandis knows what type of trouble. Karal felt Alta rub against his leg and he sighed watching the still disappearing form of his son.  
  
::You miss his namesake.::  
  
Since the whole Florien episode 15 years ago most companions were willing to trust and respect him but except for Bran most kept their distance unless he had a reason to be near them. Better the companions keep their distance, they only painfully reminded him of the one companion he was allowed to become close with, Florian.  
  
::Who would guess that after 15 years we still miss him.::  
  
"I doubt we will ever get over his loss. I knew we did not share the bond of a chosen and companion but he was one of my best friends here, besides you of course Alta, and believed me when no other companion would."  
  
::He will be back.::  
  
"Yes, but in a totally different way."  
  
::Vkandis has his ways and reasons.::  
  
"Blessed be he."  
  
As the pair wandered to a tree Karal sat with Alta in his lap. Karal began to scratch his ears and head while he thought on the way his life had changed. Not so long ago he was happy to be nothing but working in a simple church in Karse and to be nothing more then a simple priest. Now look at him, working closely with the Queen of Valdemar to enforce the wonderfully working peace between the two countries and even married to one of Valdemar. With everything that happened he found himself at ease as he had never been. He did not regret his life or anything that happened in it, he would gladly take the good as well as the bad that had happened.  
Suddenly Alta sat up his head tilted.  
  
"What? What is it Alta?"  
  
::Come we must go meet the new chosen. Bran has alerted me that the companions agree it should be you who welcomes him.::  
  
"What? Why should it be me, I have never done it before. Is the chosen from Karse?"  
  
::No. We just go, come Karal.::  
  
And Alta was up all of a sudden and waited impatiently as Karal rose and followed the firecat to the entrance of the castle. In the distance he could make out a companion with a small child on her back. He had a brown mop of hair that was slightly messed from the wind. There was a very familiar and welcoming aura around the boy but from where he could not know. As the minutes passed and the pair came to stop in front of Karal, the boy dismounted from the mare. He was clearly frightened at the odd looking man in front of him and was only reassured by the comfort of the companion beside him.  
  
"Welcome to Haven young one. I am Karal, the Karsite ambassador to Valdemar and who might you be?"  
  
"Sir...I am Trey. I..I didn't steal her sir! Honest but she told me that I can trust you to show me where to go."  
  
"Of course I can Trey!" He turned to the companion for a moment smiling "Joyas I think I can take care of Trey here for now and bring him to someone who can explain everything if that's alright with you?"  
  
The companion bowed her head nuzzled her chosen and allowed Karal to gently bring him towards where he had to go.  
  
"You can look up Trey, no one here will hurt you. We are all friends here do not forget that."  
  
When Trey finally looked up at him Karal felt as if he was hit with a brick. He knew this face, it was a younger version but it was the same. It was a younger version of the Florian he had known when he had last seen him...after the storms. Trey tilted his head slightly at the confused look of the priest and Karal suddenly composed himself. Karal smiled brightly and Trey hesitantly returned it before looking to the oddly silent Alta.  
  
"Is that a firecat?"  
  
::I am Alta::  
  
"He spoke to me!" The boy was surprised and shocked at the same time as he stopped to pet the huge cat.  
  
"Trust me he speaks more then I would like at times." Alta hit Karal with his tail at that but purred as Trey gave him lavish attention. "He is my constant companion, almost like your own companion Joyas will be"  
  
"So its true sir? I have never seen a companion before Joyas since we live so close to the Karsite border most don't come near our town."  
  
Vkandis certainly had a way of playing with his loyal subjects. As Karal spoke with Trey he couldn't believe that the soul of Florian had finally returned to the world of Valdemar. Without a doubt Karal knew he would get along wonderfully with the boy.  
A little bit later Karal watched as the Dean took a bright eyes Trey to Heraldic quarters to settle him in and start his way to become a herald. Karal smiled watching him in wonder and felt light at heart at his next words knowing them to be for a fact true-  
  
"Welcome home Florian...Welcome home" 


End file.
